


Oath // Stars

by Amarxlen



Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Gen, The RiKai isn't explicit, but it's intended, rikai, so take it or leave it I guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-25 17:47:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30092820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amarxlen/pseuds/Amarxlen
Summary: One night, wandering the beaches of Destiny Islands, Riku finds more than he bargained for.
Relationships: Kairi & Riku (Kingdom Hearts), Kairi/Riku (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 2





	Oath // Stars

**Author's Note:**

> This was actually written very late in response for RiKai week 2020. The prompts were oath and stars, and I didn't intend to, but I ended up combining them! May or may not be continued in the future.

Sometimes, Riku wondered what it would be like to live somewhere he couldn’t hear the ocean at all times. Some nights, he’d lie awake in bed, trying to imagine the world was silent — no waves lapping at the shore, no wind rustling through the trees, no salty air coming off the ocean through his window. He never could quite manage it. Growing up on an island his entire life, he had no idea what to replace the island noises with. Most nights, he’d just give up his imagining and let the ocean be a gentle lullaby that couldn’t quite lull him to sleep. 

But some nights… some nights he would follow the ocean’s call.

Restless, he tossed and turned in his bed until the feeling grew to be too much. He threw his blanket off and slipped quietly out his window with more skill than an eight year old should have had. Many sleepless nights had taught him how far he could open his window before the hinges creaked, what inconspicuous objects to place underneath it so he could get in and out with ease. If his mother knew of his nightly escapades, she never told. 

The sand was familiar beneath his feet, bare against its coolness. The houses behind him were all darkened, but the moon and stars gave off plenty of light to guide his way down to the shoreline. Here, where sky and sea and land met and everything was open and endless, the air was just a little bit easier to breathe. 

His world was small, but it had only taken a handful of visitors to show him how the universe stretched beyond his horizons. He longed to break free of his borders, but he had no idea how to do that. All he could do was stare out at the horizon, and wonder when he’d finally be free.

He had just sat down to let the water lap at his feet when he heard it. A sound so soft, it almost disappeared beneath the waves until he actually identified it. 

Crying. 

He turned his head, the openness of the beach showing him immediately what he had somehow missed before. A girl his age crouched near the water, arms wrapped around her knees as her shoulders shook. Wordlessly, he got to his feet and closed the distance between them, hesitating when she didn’t notice him right away. From farther away, he hadn’t been able to recognize the girl. Standing right next to her though, it was impossible to mistake the red hair and white and purple dress for anyone other than Kairi.

It had been almost two years since Kairi had come to the islands, and since then hardly a day had gone by that they hadn’t seen each other. Even so, he’d never seen her cry before. He wasn’t sure what to do, and in that moment he wished Sora was there. Sora would have known what to do, with his easy smile and transparent heart. As it was, Riku was just himself. Even if he wasn’t sure how, he knew he had to comfort Kairi. 

He cleared his throat awkwardly, drawing her attention immediately. 

Kairi’s gaze jerked up to him, face stricken at being caught crying. She quickly reached up and wiped her eyes with her fists, rubbing until Riku almost reached out and stopped her. When she finally stopped, she looked up at him defiantly, as if daring him to laugh at her. For a long moment they just stared at each other. Riku scratched his cheek awkwardly.

“Y’know…” he finally started, not sure if this would even be the right thing to say. “Every star up there is another world.” Kairi blinked, then blinked again before her gaze slowly traveled to the sky. She sniffled, but didn’t say anything, and Riku rushed to fill the silence. “They say that every world shares the same sky, so I bet your world is up there too, somewhere!”

Kairi’s wide eyed gaze returned to him.

“Really?” she finally asked. The hush of her voice was almost lost to the sound of the waves, which until that moment Riku had entirely forgotten about. The world had gone silent the moment he heard her crying. 

He felt weightless, unable to keep the smile from his face. 

“Yeah!” He scrambled to sit down next to her, resting one arm on his bent leg. “Maybe it’s that one, or that one.” The stars he pointed at shone brightly, twinkling at them in silent dismissal. Whether or not one of them actually was Kairi’s world, there were no answers to be had tonight.

“Or maybe it’s that one.” 

Kairi’s voice was still quiet, but when Riku looked over, her eyes were once again shining. This time though, it was a reflection of the starlight, a glimmer of hope, and just a hint of wonder. In the darkness, he couldn’t tell if the spray of dots across her cheek was sand or freckles, and he had the fleeting urge to reach up to try to brush them away. It had to be sand, because how could he not have noticed that one of his best friends had freckles?

“My grandma used to tell me a story like that,” she continued.

“She did?”

“Mhmm. So… I think you’re right, Riku.”

She stared intently at the stars, as if by staring long enough she could convince them to give up their secrets. Riku’s fingers dragged through the sand to make a fist.

“Do you want to go back?” he asked. He avoided looking at her, waiting for her answer. His body felt strangely hollow at the thought she might want to leave the islands and return to her home.

“I don’t know,” she finally said. The words came out thick and wavering.

Riku’s fingers clenched tighter, granules of sand slipping through as he made a decision, though he still didn’t look at her. It was easier to get the words out when he stared at the waves instead. “We could go if you wanted. I could help you.”

“Really?”

Riku turned towards her and their eyes met. His stomach flipped. The expression she met him with confirmed that his heart had led him true, and he’d made the right decision.

“Yeah,” he said, “I’ll help you get to your world.” His eyes never left hers as he swore, “I promise.”

Kairi beamed at him, and his stomach flipped again. Sitting next to her on the beach didn’t feel the same as when he was with Sora. With Sora, it was easy, familiar, lazy. That night with Kairi, it felt like when the three of them had competitions to see who could hold their breath underwater the longest—lungs tight, chest aching, then sudden relief as air returned. Like something breaking through the surface of the water to meet the light of day. 

“You’re a good friend, Riku.”

He felt his cheeks warm, and averted his gaze, looking back out at the ocean. A small smile lifted his lips. Despite his misgivings when he had first found her, he’d succeeded in cheering her up. He still didn't know why she had been crying, but for now, her smile was enough. He'd save his questions for another day. 

He just hoped he could keep his promise. 


End file.
